Noble Armada battle report

Well I had the intention of taking some photos of my Noble Armada game last night at my local games club G3. However I managed to completely forget, so instead thought I'd do a quick text description.

We agreed to play 750pts, as we hadn't played for quite some time, and wanted to break back into it, only having played limited times before that.

My fleet, representing the noble House Hawkwood comprised:

2 x Griffin Destroyers
1 x Darius Galliot
2 x Hornet Frigates
1 x Wayfarer Explorers

While my opponent, fielding the decadent and depraved House Decados selected a fleet comprising:

2 x Tupok'Ta Destroyers
1 x Lucrezia Galliot
2 x Mantis Frigates
1 x Reaper Raiders

So pretty similar fleets, in fact apart from a few traits and different weapon load outs exactly the same in terms of actual choices. The fleets of the Noble Houses are very similar points wise admittedly.

The board comprised of a 6' x 4' board, with a large asteroid field dominating the right hand side, with a large planet and associated moon on the left. 

To begin with we rolled for set-up, having just decided to do an engagement (or, having a fight in space). I lost. A trend that was soon to become apparent, and so having set up my fleet spread apart, allowed my opponent to set up. He went for something a bit different and split his fleet into two, with the 2 destroyers and the raider on my right, and the galliot and 2 frigates on my left.

Turn 1

We rolled for initiative, and even though the Decados fleet has a +1 modifier (for being generally sneaky), this was counterbalanced by my explorer, which has scout, which if you have more of these ships than your opponent you also get +1, so it was even. It didn't matter, I lost. See told you a trend was developing.

I advanced towards the centre of the board, while his destroyers moved towards me, while his other forces circled the planet. His raider braved the asteroid field and managed not to get smashed to bits.

Some punitive fire was exchanged, knocking down shields and scoring a few points of damage, but not much.

Turn 2

I lost initiative, again, so once again he got the drop on me. His destroyers advanced further, effectively beginning to cross the T (as most of the weapons are on the port/starboard sides, an important idea), while I began to turn my ships to bring my port side batteries to bear.

I began to focus fire on one of his destroyers, hoping to damage it heavily. Due to some not great dice rolls, some damage was caused, which while not as much as I had hoped was still a start. He in turn also began raking my lead destroyer with EM guns and slug guns. For every hit these get, they generate 3, so needless to say his return fire was more effective.

Turn 3

I lost intiative again. We closed ranges and battle was fully joined. Unfortunately I'd made a bit of a blunder, some of my ships hadn't turned far enough, leaving his destroyers sitting outside the arcs of their full broadside guns. I focused what fire I had, but it wasn't enough to cause significant damage on his ships. His return fire however crippled one of my destroyers, reducing it to half speed and allowed to fire one weapon system a turn, and a rake of criticals on it as well, with fluctuating shields, a now slightly shot up reactor and wonky targeting on the weapons.

Turn 4

The gods of initiative weren't with me, as I lost yet again.

Last turn his ships had begun to emerge from the side of the planet, and now they had fully emerged to add their weapons to the battle. During movement both of us declared a boarding action. His frigate moved to grapple my non-crippled destroyer while my galliot moved to board one of his destroyers. Both were successful in this move. However until you are moved into contact in the boarding phase you can still be fired at. Oh Dear!!

I once again tried to even the odds, focusing fire on the damaged destroyer, but again failed to do much, while his slug guns, with the addition of the maximum firepower special order crippled my remaining destroyer.

In the end neither of us got to board either as I managed to destroyer his frigate with my destroyer (before it was crippled) and he destroyer my galliot with more of his deadly slug guns. At this point my fleet being heavily outmatched due to having two severly reduced cruisers and missing a galliot decided to try and retreat in good order, and left this sector of space to the Decados.

We both agreed that we enjoyed the game, and we're looking at trying to get some more games in. There are a few other players at the club, so hopefully they'll also join in with some games.

Next time I'll try and take pictures, and may make this a bit of a feature of the weekly battle report. That way everybody can learn from my losses, and my occasional victories.